One popular manner of serving foodstuffs, particularly in a xe2x80x9cfast foodxe2x80x9d environment, involves the use of open top trays which can easily accommodate french fries, onion rings, chicken nuggets, popcorn shrimp, and like finger foods.
It is often desirable to accompany such foodstuffs with an appropriate condiment which may either be dispensed directly onto the foodstuff within the tray, particularly if consumed immediately, or more likely provided in a separate small container or cup which may be placed within the tray with the foodstuff, if there is sufficient room, or, more likely, carried separately. It has also been proposed to provide food trays which are actually incorporated into the main tray, note for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,261, issued Nov. 21, 1978.
The provision of such food trays with incorporated condiment pockets, while a particularly desirable feature, does give rise to problems. More specifically, fast food containers, to be both practical and economically feasible must be both inexpensive as they are throwaway items and must be extremely easy to manipulate both by the vendor and by the customer.
As a practical matter, the tray, for both shipping and storage purposes, must present a compact package. Pursuant thereto, two basic forms of tray have been used, formed trays which are formed at the time of manufacture into a fully erected position for stacking within compact stacks of duplicate trays. Alternatively, and sometimes preferred, the trays leave the manufacturing process as a flat folded item allowing for a flat overlying packing of multiple folded trays. Both the preformed tray and the folded tray have particular advantages.
The present invention comprises a foldable tray, that is a tray which at the end of the manufacturing procedure is a flat folded item, which, notwithstanding the folded nature thereof, incorporates an integral condiment compartment or pocket internally within the main compartment of the tray. A significant aspect of the condiment pocket as proposed by the present invention is the additional utilization of the pocket, or more particularly the partition panel which defines the pocket to rigidify the collapsible walls of the tray in the erected position thereof at the time of use. Thus, the erected tray has a stability which closely approaches that of a preformed tray, while incorporating all of the advantages of a flat folded manufactured item.
The folded tray of the invention is what is referred to in carton manufacturing as a straight line glued folding carton. This differs from a formed tray which requires the use of a forming tool that is only adapted for use with a single size product. As the design of the tray of the invention does not need a forming tool in its production, size changes can be easily made in accord with customer desires. Further, it is noted that most packaging companies utilize xe2x80x9cstraight line gluersxe2x80x9d as opposed to xe2x80x9cformersxe2x80x9d. As such, the carton or tray as proposed herein is considered particularly practical.
The tray, folded from a unitary sheet of paperboard or the like, includes a rectangular bottom or bottom panel with opposed side walls and opposed end walls projecting upwardly from the bottom to form an open top container. The walls are end joined by appropriate glue flaps. The opposed side walls include end sections defined by fold lines extending diagonally upward from the corners of the bottom, forming the end sections and a rather wider central section therebetween. In folding the tray, the side walls, and more particularly the central sections thereof, fold inward over the bottom with the side wall end sections first folding outward relative to the corresponding central sections and then inward over the collapsing central sections.
The condiment pocket of the invention includes a partition or partition panel which is coextensive with one of the end walls and foldably joined to the bottom along the base edge of the end wall. A triangular end panel is foldably joined to each end of the partition panel with these ends panels overlying the adjacent end sections of the two side walls. Each of these end panels in turn includes a glue flap foldably joined thereto and adhesively bonded to the corresponding end sections inward of the end section defining fold line. The partition panel, so mounted, will be movable between a collapsed position lying against the end wall and an open position remote from the end wall. In the collapsed position of the partition panel each end panel and corresponding glue flap are coplanar for a collapsible folding of the end panel and glue flap with the corresponding side wall end section inward of the partition panel and end wall. The folding of the carton is completed with the partition panel and end walls folding downward over the side walls to a fully collapsed position.
In the open position of the tray and condiment pocket, the partition panel is flipped inward relative to the end wall with the end panels at the opposite ends of the partition panel inverting to overlie the glue flaps. In this position, the partition panel exerts a stabilizing outward force on the opposed side walls whereby an inward collapsing of the side walls is precluded, and an upwardly opening condiment pocket is defined. With inward movement of the side walls precluded by the transverse partition panel in its open position, a substantial degree of rigidity is introduced into the open tray, notwithstanding the forming of the tray from a flat folded manufactured configuration.
The tray, including the pocket-defining partition, is formed from a single blank with that portion of the blank forming the partition severing from the remainder of the blank only at such time as the tray is completely formed, and preferably as the tray and pocket are opened at the point of use.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the details of the invention are more fully hereinafter set forth.